Why “Happy Holidays” Doesn’t Bother Me (and a few things that do)

Posted on December 14, 2016

It’s an annual discussion that I’ve weighed in on before. And like most, I have an opinion about it.

I hear this often… “We need to put Christ back in Christmas!”

I will be a guest on “Top Story” (AM 1310 KLIX radio) on Thursday, December 15 at 9:00 a.m. to talk about this very topic. (Invite others to listen in.) How a discussion airs out on live talk radio is unknown until it’s over, but I’m thankful for the invitation to think and talk out loud about it.

So let me be brief on the topic in print and I’ll flesh it out live with Bill Colley tomorrow.

First, I agree that we need to put (or keep) Christ in Christmas.

Now let me identify who I mean by “we”.

There is a segment of the population that is responsible for putting and keeping Christ in Christmas, and anything for that matter. Those with the duty to put Christ in Christmas are born again followers of Christ, the Messiah, it is the work and duty of the church not Target.

If Christians are expecting the general, secular marketplace to hold a high standard of Christ, at any time of the year, then followers of Christ are looking in the wrong direction. To expect the marketplace to do anything other than “cash” in on an opportunity is a great misunderstanding and really is unfair for a Christian to expect a secular – free market to do anything spiritual.

I can respect a business that doesn’t use the name of Christ to promote themselves if they don’t hold to biblical standards in their merchandise or business policies. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for pressuring a business to misuse the name of Christ by my “demanding” they use the name of Christ in their seasonal promotional or extra signage or employees saying “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” during the Christmas season.

As a Christian, I respect that a Christian business wants to put Christ first in their business. I enjoy supporting and promoting these businesses by my being a faithful patron.

Bottom line for me, use whatever verbiage you want in your business dealing. Make sure that your greetings are sincere and meaningful. Saying “Merry Christmas” is important to me. I use it with everyone and am not offended if someone responds with “Happy Holiday”, nor do I automatically assume that anyone who wishes me a “Happy Holiday” is not a Christian.

When I turn my attention to the church house I get quickly to a matter of another kind.

There is a serious problem if by “we” we mean “the church”, then we are in another discussion of another kind. In all that the church does, she needs to have Christ as the primary. Not tradition, not seasonal emotions, not even family. These are and should be very important, but Christ is first and last for the church.

What we do with Christ in our lives will impact our traditions, emotions and family.